A Love Story
by Jupe-san
Summary: [KxK] What is love, really? Drabbles describing her love for him, and his for her.
1. Love is Patient

I've been memorizing 1 Corinthians 13 in the Bible, which is the "love chapter", and I got an idea one day…

"What if I took the descriptions of love and made them into drabbles?"

And thus this was born.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, nor the Bible. Duh.

If I owned either one, I would be God.

-SHOT-

xxx

Love is Patient

He was staring at the snow again, lost in his memories.

She sighed. No matter how much she might like to be able to see inside his head, he remained closed off and guarded, retreating into the past when she pressed too hard.

'What do you see when you look at the snow? Is it the patterns and swirls that I see, or just her blood seeping into the ground?'

One look in his eyes told her all she wanted to know.

Kaoru wasn't the most patient of people, she knew that, but for him...

For Kenshin she could wait.


	2. Love is Kind

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own RK or the Bible. Which somehow fails to amaze me.

xxx

Love is Kind

"Really, Kaoru-dono, you ought to take better care of yourself, de gozaru."

He was kneeling before her, carefully prodding her twisted ankle as she winced and half-listened to his gentle reprimands.

Her eyes crinkled softly as he fussed over her in his kindly way. He was just so… so _Kenshin_.

"If you pay this much attention to me when I hurt myself, I might do it more often, instead," she said teasingly.

His indignant 'oro' was expected, as was her laughter as she leapt off the porch and gingerly tested her newly-bandaged ankle.

"Arigatou, Kenshin."

His smile warmed her heart.

* * *

Glossary:

-dono – Kenshin's super-polite way of referring to people

de gozaru – Kenshin's super-polite form of 'desu'

oro – Kenshin's non-word of surprise, confusion and indignation

arigatou- Oh come on. You know this one.


	3. It Does Not Envy

**Disclaimer:** Hmm, is the sky pink? No? Then I don't own RK or the Bible.

xxx

It Does Not Envy

Really, it wasn't fair.

"Why for the love of Kami does my hair look worse than yours when I take much better care of mine?

Violet eyes blinked once, twice, mouth rounded as a flustered 'oro' escaped him.

She sighed dramatically and evaluated her own hair. Black, listless and tangled every morning despite the plait she braided it into at night.

It wasn't _fair_.

"Well, at least your hair isn't as distinctive as mine, ne, Kaoru-dono?"

She paused, slowly shifting her focus back on him.

While her hair might not be manageable, at least it didn't scream "Hitokiri Battousai".

"…Right."

* * *

Glossary:

Kami – God, spirit, deity

oro – Kenshin's non-word of surprise, confusion and indignation

ne – Right?

-dono – Kenshin's super-polite way of referring to people

Hitokiri Battousai – Kenshin's bakumatsu title, meaning "Assassin + master of battoujutsu", pretty much. But you knew that.


	4. It Does Not Boast

**Disclaimer:** You know, even if the sky -was- pink I still wouldn't own RK or the Bible. Maybe if it was lime green…

xxx

It Does Not Boast

They walked in companionable silence, her bokken resting on her shoulder and his hand comfortably situated on the hilt of his sakabatou.

"Those thugs were no match for you, Kenshin. They never are."

Her voice held fond pride for him, and he smiled slightly in the darkness.

But he could read the words hidden beneath the praise.

"They looked particularly surprised that a woman could best them so easily, de gozaru."

Twinkling blue eyes glanced at him teasingly.

"Are you referring to you, or me?"

She laughed as he spluttered into the night, leaving protests and 'oros' in her wake.

* * *

Glossary:

bokken – a wooden practice sword

sakabatou – Kenshin's reverse-bladed sword

de gozaru – Kenshin's super-polite form of 'desu'

oro – Kenshin's non-word of surprise, confusion and indignation


	5. It Is Not Proud

Augh, this one killed me. I couldn't think of anything in Kaoru's POV for this idea... so I just did a shoddy, overdramatic drabble and decided I'd rewrite it sometime with a better idea.

Oh yeah, each of these drabbles should be 100 words exactly. At least, according to Word they are.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own RK or the Bible. If I did, would I be writing a disclaimer?

xxx

It Is Not Proud

She was the kenjutsu rose; she was pretty, cheerful and strong.

She also had the worst luck in Tokyo.

'I wonder how many times I've been tied up like this.'

She prided herself on her swordsmanship. It was degrading to be bound and gagged sloppily every other week by some baka after Kenshin's unwanted alias.

It couldn't be helped, she supposed. Kenshin was too strong and powerful. Much more so than she herself.

She was just about to wriggle her wrists out of the rope that tied them when the door burst open, Kenshin's sakabatou drawn and ready.

'…My hero.'

* * *

Glossary: 

kenjutsu – swordsmanship

baka – idiot, fool

sakabatou – Kenshin's reverse-bladed sword


	6. It Is Not Rude

I've got some basic ideas for the rest of the drabbles (except for pride) all scribbled down in a document now. Huzzah.

These alternate between being Kaoru's love and Kenshin's- the last will be the both of them together, if I can swing it. There should be ten more of these. C:

**Disclaimer:** RK: not mine. Bible: not mine. Kaoru's cooking: worse than mine HA.

xxx

It Is Not Rude

Her eyes were wide and sparkling, hope shining in them brightly.

He didn't have the heart to tell her that her cooking was absolutely horrid.

"Th-that was delicious, Kaoru-dono," he choked out, his trademark rurouni smile plastered onto his face. He ignored the gagging sounds coming from the other end of the table.

Kaoru, however, did not.

"Listen, you freeloaders. If you don't like the food, you can cook your own," she growled, approaching them threateningly. The aforementioned freeloaders scrabbled up from their cushions and attempted to escape her bokken-shaped wrath.

He used the diversion to discard his blackened rice.

* * *

Glossary: 

-dono – Kenshin's super-polite way of referring to people

rurouni – a made-up word for a wandering swordsman

bokken – a wooden practice sword 


	7. It Is Not Self Seeking

**Disclaimer:** I don't own. Neither do you, unless you're Watsuki-sama or God.

xxx

It Is Not Self-Seeking

The atmosphere was so light and happy that she just simply couldn't regret it.

Yahiko and Sanosuke were cramming food into their mouths as fast as they could in some sort of perverse competition, while Megumi wavered between wrinkling her nose in disgust and chortling behind her voluminous sleeve.

Kenshin himself was watching the familiar scene with a soft smile on his face, which inspired a smile of her own.

So what if she wouldn't be able to buy that yukata Tae swore suited her perfectly? So what if the bathhouse wasn't redone?

Kenshin deserved to smile on his birthday.

* * *

Glossary:

yukata – a light summer kimono


	8. It Is Not Easily Angered

To answer a question- the drabble titles are from the NIV version of 1 Corinthians 13, verses 4-8.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own it, Sam I am.

xxx

It Is Not Easily Angered

"KENSHIN NO BAKA!"

The familiar sound of a bokken cracking over a head echoed throughout the courtyard, as did Kaoru's loud exit into the dojo to work off her excess frustrations on her unfortunate pupil.

He couldn't find it in himself to be angry at her for the injuries she inflicted on him.

For one thing, he had received much worse during the bakumatsu. It wasn't like Kaoru was actually avidly _trying_ to kill him.

For another, when she attacked him, she wasn't actually avidly trying to kill anyone _else_.

Besides, Yahiko always, _always_ got it worse than he did.

* * *

Glossary: 

bokken – a wooden practice sword

bakumatsu – the war Kenshin was a part of


	9. It Keeps No Record Of Wrongs

**Disclaimer:** It's not mine and you know it.

xxx

It Keeps No Record of Wrongs

Too trusting, they said. Too open.

Was it so wrong to respect people's secrets? To forgive and forget?

Sure, he might have once been a horrible assassin who went against all her most deeply-ingrained principles. Sure, his name might have been used by the man who tried to ruin her dojo's reputation and kill her.

He'd helped her, though. He'd eliminated the threat. He'd stayed with her when she asked.

Even if he _had_ left her again…

But he came back! And he softly admitted that this, _she_, was home.

Was that not reason enough to keep her trusting nature?


	10. Love Does Not Delight In Evil

**Disclaimer:** I don't own it. -weeps-

xxx

Love Does Not Delight In Evil

It was a disgusting idea, one that made him shudder in revulsion.

The idea of hurting Kaoru-dono, that was.

The very notion was repulsive to him- him, the Rurouni, or even the Battousai, hurt the kind, beautiful kendo instructor who hadn't turned him away for his past? Unthinkable!

What frightened him most, though, was that he was very capable of hurting her, in so many ways. So easily, he could kill her. So easily, he could cause her so much pain.

And, apparently, he could easily break her heart, as well. That was the most frightening thought of them all.

* * *

Glossary: 

-dono – Kenshin's super-polite way of referring to people

Rurouni – a made-up word for a wandering swordsman

Battousai – Kenshin's bakumatsu title, meaning "Master of battoujutsu", pretty much. But you knew that.


	11. But Rejoices With the Truth

**Disclaimer:** If I owned it, this wouldn't be a FANfic. Ne? NE?

xxx

But Rejoices With the Truth

He wore a mask so often, hiding truths and emotions within himself.

The mask couldn't fool her.

She could tell when he was thinking about past loves, past deaths, or past anything. His eyes turned inward and distant…

She could tell when he was thinking about the future- whether he would have to leave or if he'd be welcome to stay at the dojo. His lips would curl into a wistful half-smile…

And she could always tell when he was thinking about her.

His expression carried so much warmth…

She loved the truth he showed her when his mask slipped.

* * *

AN: Hope that tides you over until my beta can type up the edits to the next Shockwaves chapter... ; 


	12. It Always Protects

**Disclaimer:** Don't own it. How sad.

xxx

It Always Protects

It was a constant struggle within himself.

Leave, or stay?

If he stayed, she would be subjected to attacks from people wanting a piece of the hitokiri Battousai, but even if he left she'd still be targeted. His name had become attached to her and to her dojo, and she could never rid herself of it.

Then there was the matter of what had happened the last time he'd tried to leave.

She'd followed him. _Followed him_, putting herself in more danger.

His head sunk into his hands.

How? How could he best protect her? By leaving, or by staying?

* * *

Glossary: 

hitokiri Battousai – Kenshin's bakumatsu title, meaning "Assassin + master of battoujutsu", pretty much. But you knew that.

AN: I really did not like the old version, so I used a different example for protection.

Hopefully, it's closer to being in character.


	13. Always Trusts

**Disclaimer:** If I owned RK, Kenshin would not wear _pink_.

xxx

Always Trusts

"Stand back. I'll handle this, Kaoru-dono."

Mou, more upstarts who wanted to make fun of the girly man and his tomboy girlfriend? When would they ever learn that not all was as it seemed?

She huffed with outward impatience as Kenshin dispatched the trio of ruffians.

A small, secret smile spread across her lips as he collected himself and relaxed out of the kendo stance. He always protected her from everything, be it thugs or spiders.

If he could, he would protect her from the world.

She certainly trusted that he would try.

Trusted in him.

Trusted him.

She smiled.

* * *

Glossary:

-dono – Kenshin's super-polite way of referring to people

mou – Kaoru's favorite word of exasperation, kind of like "Geeze!"

kendo – the way of the sword


	14. Always Hopes

**Disclaimer:** Neither RK or the Bible belongs to me.

xxx

Always Hopes

It came every year.

Snow.

He sighed in memory of a fleeting smile, wishing that he could leave her ghost behind and continue on with life.

She haunted him, and he welcomed it, relishing in whispered memories of a time long gone.

'_Do you remember?'_

'Yes.'

'_Will you ever forget?'_

'No.'

That didn't stop him from hoping that one day he would have the strength to live without her constant presence in the back of his mind, always resurfacing at the first hint of snow.

'Someday I will be free to embrace the love of another.'

He could only hope.

* * *

AN: No glossary this time. Only two of these left! o: 


	15. Always Perseveres

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. -weeps-

xxx

Always Perseveres

He was doing it again.

She tilted her head a little, trying to catch his gaze. No luck there. He was obviously thinking about something that did not include her, something that he probably shouldn't have been thinking about since he was sighing sadly from time to time.

He was probably thinking about the past.

Go figure.

He was drowning himself in his past when the future was sitting right in front of him- a future with an extra shoulder to bear his burden and an extra hand to guide him.

She sighed.

How long would he make her wait?

* * *

AN: Wrote this ages ago and forgot I had it. When I opened the file to see about writing the very last drabble, I discovered that I had this, too, and touched it up a little. And so you get two drabbles at once! Gasp. 

Make certain you go back and re-read "Always Protects" if you didn't like the previous version. I replaced it… um… several months ago, I think. Eep.


	16. Love Never Fails

**Disclaimer:** If I owned either the Bible or RurouKen, I think I would have better things to do than write fanfiction.

xxx

Love Never Fails

"Kenshin?"

"Yes, Kaoru?"

"Do you know what today is?"

"Let me think for a moment. My memory's getting worse with old age."

_Snort._ "You can remember the name and face of every idiot who has ever tried to kill you and your memory's bad. Uh-huh. And you're avoiding the question."

"What question?"

"_Kenshin_…"

"Maa, maa. No need to accost me with that stick of yours, Kaoru."

"Answer the damn question!"

_Sigh._ "It's our wedding anniversary, is it not, Kaoru?"

"M-hmm. See, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

"No, not especially. Kaoru?"

"Mmm?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, Kenshin."

* * *

Glossary:

Maa, maa – a placating type of phrase, like "There, there" or "Don't be so hasty."

AN: And that's a wrap! I might go back and fix up a couple of the drabbles some time, but for now I think I can safely officially declare this series "finished". Hope you enjoyed it!


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